The Generational Change in Family Businesses: Comparative Analysis between Italy and Peru

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to understand how family firms in Italy and Peru prepare for generational change, by comparing three companies from each of these countries. After a theoretical analysis, having examined and compared the literature to define the family business, the business family and the generational change, an empirical analysis has been made using a quantitative survey (STEP 2013-2014) and its model, which makes a revision of a set of constructs, to identify if there is transgenerational potential in the business families. From the comparison of the six companies it appears that, contrary to what was initially thought, there are no such relevant differences. They are only diverse approaches to different problems of the same phenomenon. It is concluded that the six companies have an adequate transgenerational potential and are ready for a successful generational change.